Messterpiece
by OracleBones
Summary: Proper summary in Author's Notes. This is a Supernatural/Inuyasha crossover, and has nothing to do with Ace. Begins mid to late season two (Supernatural) and before Kagome finds out about the Shikon jewel. But main story takes place early season four (Supernatural), and around episode 60 (Inuyasha).
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So. This story has nothing to do with the others. And it exists solely for giggles. Back when I lived in the country without internet, all I had to watch were Supernatural on DVD and Inuyasha on DVD. And when I finished one series, I'd start the other over again in an endless cycle, for like...three and a half years. And one day my sleep deprived, caffeine addled brain went, "How funny would a crossover be?" And so it began. I don't add much to this one very often, but I figured I might as well share it with all of you. Have fun! -Tootles

* * *

The phone rang and Dean jumped, his foot slipping off the gas pedal. He frowned, glancing at Sam, who had just woken at the sound and was staring around blearily, confused.

"What is that?" he mumbled, and Dean nodded at the glove compartment.

"It's Dad's." was all he said, before turning his attention back to the road. The Impala jumped forward, engine growling. Sam threw him a look of annoyance and dug through the mess of throw away phones until he'd pulled out the one making the racket. With a snap, he closed the glove compartment again. The phone went silent, and he sighed, he'd missed the call.

But just as he moved to put it down, the screen lit up again and it shook, spewing an old fashioned ringing jangle. He let it ring one more time before he flipped it open and held it to his ear.

"Hello?" he quieried, and then frowned.

"Moshi moshi...A..Anno..Gomen, my english is a bit out of practice. Is this...Winchester?" a woman's soft voice replied. Sam blinked, and looked over at his brother. Dean raised an eyebrow at him and the car slowed again.

"What is it?" he asked, and Sam gestured to the side of the road. Dean nodded reluctantly and pulled to a full stop on the shoulder, sliding into park and settling back. Sam took the phone away from his ear and clicked it to speaker mode, holding it out between them. They huddled around it.

"Who is this?" Sam asked, glancing up at his brother.

"My name is Higurashi. Mister Winchester told me that, if I ever needed him I could call him. That was thirteen years ago, I admit, but...well, there was never a reason before now." the woman went on, and Dean scowled at the phone. He recognized her voice, but couldn't place her. Someone they'd met before, a long time ago.

"Well, why do you suddenly need his help?" Dean demanded, and the woman went quiet for a few minutes.

"It's...my daughter. She...recently found out some things, and she has been asking after him. I finally decided to tell her the truth." she trailed off, and the frown fell away from Sam's face. He looked up at Dean, his eyes wide, and his brother stared back, equally confused.

"Where are you, Miss Higurashi? It sounds like we need to talk." Sam said, trying to keep his voice level. Dean shifted in his seat, gripping the steering wheel in a white knuckle grasp.

"Uh, we live in Japan. Our family cares for a shrine here." she replied, and Sam sighed.

"We'll be there as soon as we can catch a flight." he said, reaching up to rub his eyes. There was a pause from the other line, and muffled voices. Sam stopped, glancing down at the phone. Then suddenly, another voice came across.

"This is Kagome. What are _your_ names?" a younger, sharper voice demanded. And a bewildered look passed between the boys.

"Um, I'm Sam." he supplied, tilting his head slightly, a wry smile crossing his lips.

"Dean." his brother growled, giving the phone a loathsome look. The girl made a noise, like she was pondering this information.

"Sam...Dean..." she murmured, getting a feel for the unfamiliar words, "Okay. I could get used to that. I suppose I kind of have to, given you're my half brothers and all." she went on, her voice cheerful.

"Is...father...not there?" she added hesitantly, and Sam's face fell. The ache, that at this point was as familiar as breathing, returned to his chest.

"No...We'll talk about it in person." he said quietly, and the girl on the other end of the line gasped.

"You're coming here?" she squeaked, overwhelmed with excitement. It was almost enough to make him grin.

"Yeah. We'll be there before the week is out." he replied.

"Yattaaah! Machi-kirenai! Jah neh, Onii-san!" she yelped happily, and the phone went dead.

For a moment, Sam stared at it. Then he looked up at his brother.

"Well...she was...loud." was all he said. Dean glanced at him, and rolled his eyes, gearing the car into drive and speeding off.

After a few minutes, he sighed, and Sam glanced over at him. His stony expression had faded, and he was gazing out the windshield with a stricken look.

"What?" Sam asked, and his brother glanced at him. Dean's face pulled up in unhappiness, and he shook his head, exasperate.

"Man...I don't know anything about _girls!"_ he complained, and Sam scoffed, incredulous.

"Are you kidding me? Dean, you've been dealing with girl's since you were _ten!"_ he retorted, and Dean rolled his eyes at him.

"Yeah, but that's different Sammy! _Way_ different." the older Winchester spat. Sam shook his head at him and laughed.

"Look, they're not as hard as you think. Alright? Just, give this one a chance."


	2. Chapter 2

That was two years ago.

In the time between, the brothers had grown to love and respect their half sister. She was always happy to see them, and always sad to watch them go. Dean immediately took her under his wing, falling more for her than he did for Sam's 'Puppy dog eyes'. She kept them updated on her life at all possible moments, and they designated a cell-phone all to itself just for her to call. And call she did. By the time she'd known them six months they knew more about her life than they did each others. Causing Dean to remark more than once that he'd only thought teenage 'gossip' girls were a stereotype. The first time it had offended her, but after that she started to learn Dean's brand of humor, and throw it right back at him.

They visited as often as possible. So much so, that even Dean started to learn a bit of japanese. Not much, just little stuff. But enough to drive his brother crazy. One of particular annoyance, was actually the first one Kagome had taught the oldest. And one that he used incessantly.

Bishi. Or Bishounen. 'Pretty boy.'

Yeah, Sam got sick of that one _real_ fast.

But then, seeing the grief it caused him, Kagome apologized for loading the cannon that was their brother's mouth. And taught him one to use in return fire.

Aho. 'Simpleton'. Short, concise, and just enough to shut his brother up.

He smiled now as he reminisced, gazing out the plane window at the ocean far below them. That was another thing Kagome managed to convince Dean into.

Flying.

His brother was terrified of flying, but for Kagome? He'd go to hell and back, what was a little intercontinental flight in comparison? Dean spent most of it in a drug induced coma anyway, all he'd bothered to stay awake for was the safety speech. And even then, it was only for one thing, as he'd so blatantly reminded Sam.

"Those Japanese Stewardesses are hot." he'd said, nudging his little brother in the ribs and grinning. Eliciting an entirely unamused expression and a harsh sigh from Sam. He hated it when his brother acted like a friggin hormonal teenager. Especially now that they actually _knew_ a hormonal teenager, and she was _better_ behaved than the oldest Winchester.

Twelve hours, and almost six thousand miles later, they arrived via taxi at the base of the shrine steps. Dean was still somewhat out of it, but Sam was fresh faced and eager to see their youngest. He thanked and paid the cabbie, and dragged their two large duffels out of the trunk. Dean shuffled along next to him, sipping a canned coffee and squinting behind his sunglasses. Sam glanced at him, bedraggled and hungover, and sighed. He'd nearly taken his first step when a high pitched, familiar voice came at him from behind. Attached to a small, lanky body that tackled him and wrapped thin, almost breakable arms around his waist.

"Sammy-Nii!" she shrieked, and he grinned, dropping their bags and swinging her around in a wide arch.

"Hey, Moto-Ne!" he chuckled, the little name he'd made up for her rolling out naturally, though they'd been apart for almost a year now. Next to them Dean shifted, and she glanced over.

"Dean-onii, you look terrible." she scolded, and he chuckled.

"Yeah, well. You know me and planes." he replied, his voice gravelly. He drew himself up straighter, and held out his arms for her. With a chiming laugh, she threw herself at him, and he squeezed her in a bear hug.

"Kagome-chan! Sonoyoni jikku shite iru?" A girl's voice called, and a chorus of gasps came from behind them. Sam turned with a frown, his mind already trying to work through what he'd heard. Someone scolding their sister for running ahead? He wasn't positive, but that's what he thought he heard. Kagome pushed off from Dean and bit her lip, embarassed.

A group of girls, that could only be her school friends, stood a few feet away, down the sidewalk. And by the way they stared at the brothers, you'd have thought there was some scandal going on.

"A...Anno, Wa...Watashi no hanbun no kyodai o mitashite imasu." she stuttered, gesturing toward them and fiddling with her hair. Sam recognized it as one of her nervous habits, and smiled lightly. He'd understood that one easy, 'These are my half brothers.' He took a few seconds to put together a proper response. Then he bowed slightly.

"Hajimemashite. Boku wa Sam-desu. Kore wa Dean-desu. Watashitachi wa Amerika kara kite imasu." he said, giving them a smirk as he straightened. He thanked their uncle Bobby for coaching him in Japanese speech, exactly for moments like these. Kagome gaped at him, and then grinned.

"You've been practicing." she said, laughing. He let out a chuckle of his own.

"So have you, your English is much better than last time." he replied, and she blushed slightly. Then she turned to her friends and waved them goodbye, taking Dean's hand and leading him up the steps to the shrine. Sam watched her friends leave from the corner of his eye, and didn't miss the red creeping into their cheeks as they whispered to each other, stifling giggles. He also didn't miss the way their gazes strayed to the seat of his pants, and he rolled his eyes. The last thing he needed was a bunch of teen-aged girls developing a crush on him. Dean could play the rugged American cowboy, he wasn't having any of it.

As they climbed the stone staircase, Kagome fawned over their brother, ducking under his arm to help him stay balanced, and feeling his forehead for a temperature. Sam lugged the duffel bags over his shoulders and studied the ground in front of him, listening to the proverbial fuse burn itself out until finally the powder keg went off.

"I said I'm fine, okay? I'm not sick, I'm just jet lagged. Quit babyin' me already." Dean spat, and Kagome shoved away from him.

"Moh! Excuse me for being worried about you! You look like _crap_ , Dean! I was only trying to help!" she cried, her tiny hands fisting at her sides. Sam sighed and paused to watch them. Dean threw his hands in the air and huffed.

"I didn't _ask_ you to worry about me! And you know I can't stand it when someone's pawing all over me! Give me a little space!" he shot back, and she stuck her chin out at him. Her chin that was wobbling now. Her eyes glistened, and she sniffed.

"Nii-chan, no _baka_!" she spat, and turned on her heel, sprinting up the last of the steps and heading for the house. Dean stood staring after her, and Sam watched as his shoulders slumped. With another sigh he caught up to his brother, nearing just in time to hear a whispered, 'Dammit, Dean.' from him.

"C'mon. Let's go catch up." Sam said tiredly, handing over his brother's bag. Dean took it with a remorseful expression. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he groaned.

"Why'd I have to open my mouth, Sam?" he moaned, and Sam chuckled.

'Because, you wouldn't be Dean if you didn't.' he thought, smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome's mother was waiting outside the front door for them when they finally reached the house, and as she saw them she smiled lightly.

"Sam, Dean, it's good to see you." she said, holding her arms out for a hug. Dean held back, but Sam met her with a grin, hugging her softly. She was so small he was always afraid he'd crush her.

"Hisashiburi, Higurashi Ka-San." he greeted, and she beamed up at him.

"You're getting better." she commented, and he laughed.

"Hey, Mrs. H." Dean said, but his voice was melancholy, and he didn't smile at her. Instead, he stood next to his brother, staring guiltily at the ground. She looked at him and her smile turned forgiving.

"She's up in her room, Dean. You can try, but I don't know if she wants to see you right this second." she told him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. He looked up then, and his mouth twisted the way it did when he felt really bad about something, and didn't feel like he could fix it. She opened the door and lead them inside, asking them to drop their bags by the door for the time being.

They sat, battling off their boots, and Sam nudged his brother. Dean glanced up with an irritated, "What?" and Sam glanced at the top of the staircase. Kagome's younger brother Sota crouched next to the hand rail, gazing down at them in fascination. Sam gave him a smile, and Dean waved. Sota's eyes flew wide and he scrambled away, down the upstairs hallway and out of sight. Dean chuckled, remembering the last time they'd visited, when Sota was still too little to speak much. Much less speak english.

"You think he can talk to us yet?" Dean pestered, and Sam shrugged as he stood.

"Depends. And even if he could, what would we talk to him _about?"_ he replied, and Dean sat for a second, thinking. Then he shrugged.

"I dunno, we could have him spy on Kagome for us. Or get him to tell us all the stuff she's obviously _not_ telling us." he explained, pulling at his boot, his attention consumed. Sam heard their sister's light step on the staircase and smirked.

"Like what, Dean? What could she possibly _not_ be telling us?" Sam goaded, and his brother fell right for it.

"You know, what she does outside of school. Whether or not she's got a boyfriend we need to track down. I swear to god, Sam, if she's got a boyfriend I'm gonna-"

"You're gonna _what_ , Dean? Use him for _target practice?_ Give him the _third degree?"_ Kagome demanded, catching their brother by surprise and making his grip loosen on his boot. His foot slammed down, and his ankle connected with the edge of the floorboards, filling the air with a thud and a crack.

Sam flinched, and Dean barely contained a shout, scaling it down to a quiet whimper and a murmured, "Mother..." He hunched forward, his hands clamped over his ankle, and bit his lip. Kagome descended the last step behind Sam and stopped next to him, crossing her arms over her chest. She glowered at their brother for a moment, but then her hard face crumpled as she realized he was actually hurt this time.

"Dean?" Sam coaxed, stepping toward his brother. Dean shook his head and let out a shaking breath.

"It's not broken, but it still hurts like a...like hell." he caught himself at the last minute, glancing at their sister before correcting himself. Kagome didn't enjoy swearing as much as their brother did, and he knew it.

"I...I'm sorry, Dean!" she sputtered, running to him and kneeling down next to him. He grit his teeth, casting Sam a meaningful look. With a scoffing laugh, Sam shook his head and turned away, leaving them alone to sort things out.

* * *

Dean watched his brother go, and then turned to Kagome.

"How bad does it hurt?" she demanded, wrestling his boot off as gently as possible and prodding the already swelling bruise on his leg. He winced, hissing breath between his teeth, and she looked up at him guiltily.

"Not too bad. I'll be fine." he reassured her, but when he stood up he was singing a different tune. He stumbled and would have fallen over had Kagome not leapt to her feet and grabbed him. She was surprisingly strong for a scrawny teenage girl, he noted.

"You been workin' out?" he commented, chuckling. She rolled her eyes at him, and helped him regain his balance.

"I do Physical Fitness at school just like everyone else, Dean." she replied, and he laughed.

"Not me. I hated that stuff." he joked, and she gave him a shrewd look. Then she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"My brother, the delinquent..." she mused, and smiled when he gave her an indignant, "Hey!" in reply.

By the time they'd reached the kitchen, they were back to their joking selves. And once she'd forced him to sit at the table, Kagome went right back to fawning over her brother. Only _this_ time, he kept his mouth shut and just let it happen.

She propped his foot up, tying an ice pack over the bruise to bring down the swelling, and made him drink a hot tea concoction she'd whipped up from some dried herbs. Dried herbs that she'd seemingly pulled out of nowhere and, Sam realized, where no more native to this area than the boys were. When she'd finally sat down with them, he fiddled with his cup and decided to address the issue.

"Hey...Kagome?" he prompted, and she turned to him with a smile.

"Nnn?" she replied, and he couldn't help but smirk a little.

"Those herbs, where did you get them? They don't grow around here." he said, getting straight to the point. She looked down at her mug, biting the inside of her lip and frowning as she thought. Dean watched her for a second, and then interjected.

"Yeah. And how did you learn all this Medic stuff? We didn't teach you, and I highly doubt they taught you in school." he said, and her frown deepened for a moment, then she looked up and smiled.

"Oh, you know. Reading books, and from Jii-Chan. I decided I should probably know how to fix people up, just in case I go visit you guys some day." she replied, and Sam blanched. Even Dean lost some of the color in his face.

"No...I don't think so." Sam said softly, and her smile faltered. She glanced between them, and her eyebrows twitched toward a frown.

"C'mon guys, I know it's kinda dangerous, but-"

"It's not just _kinda_ dangerous, Kagome. People die all the time in our line of work!" Dean snapped, cutting her off. She leaned back in her chair, startled, and he softened.

"Kagome...you, and Bobby...you're the only family we've got left. If something happened to you..." Sam trailed off, glancing down at the tabletop, his chest aching. When she sighed softly, he looked up at her. She was smiling sadly and something behind her eyes wasn't quite right, but she nodded.

"I understand. I'll stay here, and go to school, and be the normal one. Just for you guys." she said, laughing lightly. Sam smiled at her, thankful. And Dean grabbed her hand, squeezing it.

"Damn right you will." he said gruffly, and she grinned at him. The conversation steered away, to other, more normal subjects. But Sam's mind kept coming back to that split second, and that odd expression in her eyes. He didn't want to think she could be lying to them, but the idea nagged at him.

* * *

They shared dinner together, Mrs. Higurashi even surprised Dean with an american style apple pie. And afterward, they stayed up late in the guest house filling Kagome in on everything she'd missed over the year. Leaving out only a few things, Dean's death (and subsequent resurrection) among them. As well as Sam and Ruby.

And even though they left out the gorey little details, Kagome still ended up nearly in tears once or twice. By the time her mother came in to get her, she was curled up next to Dean, her fingers tangled in the string of his amulet, listening to Sam recount a hunt for a Skinwalker. Her eyes so wide they could have fallen out of her head. Dean had already fallen asleep, his arm slung around his sister's shoulders, and he snored softly. So when the door opened, it was only Sam and Kagome that jumped.

"Ka-san! You scared me!" Kagome cried, and her mother smiled, shushing her and gesturing to Dean. Who didn't even budge. Sam grinned, chuckling.

"It's nearly midnight, Kagome. You should come in to bed." Her mother said quietly. Sam watched her cross the room, waving one last time when she turned to give him a smile.

"Night Sammy-Nii." she murmured, glancing at Dean. She hesitated for a moment, and then she ran back to his side, tucking her hair back as she leaned in to plant a kiss on his forehead. She passed close to Sam on the way back out and ruffled his hair playfully.

"Good night." he said, giving her a tiny shove toward her mother. With a quiet laugh, she was gone. Sam stared at the door for a while after they'd left, pondering. The look that had passed across her eyes had him worried. It was one he recognized from the many years of hunting with his brother. It was a look Dean got anytime he knew something, or had done something, that he knew Sam would worry about.

At some point, he'd have to confront her about it. But in the entire history of frightening things he'd faced, a cornered teenage girl seemed by far the scariest. He sighed and rolled over, staring at the ceiling.

"Hey Sam?"

He jumped, glancing over at his brother. Dean hadn't moved, but Sam knew he was looking at him.

"Thought you were out." Sam replied, and Dean shifted, shaking his head.

"She's hiding something...Isn't she?" his brother murmured. Sam sighed, turning back to the ceiling.

"Yeah Dean...I think so." he said softly, and his brother cursed under his breath, turning onto his side.

"Sometime's...it's a pain in the ass bein' the oldest." Dean complained, and Sam had to smirk.

"Yeah...you keep telling yourself that." he replied, and Dean grunted. They both knew he wouldn't have it any other way.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam woke suddenly, sitting bolt upright in bed and throwing a quick glance around the room. His brother's bed was empty, and he figured Dean had already gone to the main house for breakfast. Letting out a sigh, he stretched and threw the blankets off.

Outside he heard Kagome yell, her voice angry, and he let his shoulders sag.

"Dammit, Dean..." he muttered, and started to get up. He heard his sister yelling again, indignant and incredulous, and he shook his head. He had one leg through his jeans when he heard her shriek, and Dean crashed into the room, slamming open the bathroom door. He was fully dressed and his toothbrush hung from the corner of his mouth. Sam stared at him for half a second, frowning at him, and Dean stared back, eyes wide in confusion.

"I thought you were..." Sam murmured, trailing off.

"Who is she yelling at?" Dean demanded, pulling his toothbrush from his mouth.

They spoke in unison, as Sam pulled his jeans on and stood. She shrieked again, and the sound spurred them into motion. Dean threw his toothbrush into the bathroom, and it skittered into the sink as he shot across the room, dragging his hand across his mouth. Sam fastened his jeans, snagging a pair of socks and his boots before following his brother out the door.

They rushed into the courtyard, catching sight of her near the main house. Some weirdo had her by the arm and was dragging her away toward the back of the property. When she saw them running toward her relief flooded her face.

"Sam, Dean!" she called, and her captor turned on them. Sam had a second to glimpse white hair, red clothes, and pointed ears, and then they were gone. He skidded to a stop, his gaze flying in a wide arch. Next to him Dean spat a curse and spun around.

"Where'd they go?" he demanded, and Sam shook his head. There was a flash of red next to the sacred tree, and for a split second he could see his sister slung over the guy's shoulder.

"There! Dean, c'mon!" he shouted, tapping his brother on the shoulder and taking off toward them. They moved in a blur, but Sam could just follow the red after-image that trailed them through the air. They were headed toward the well house.

He narrowed his eyes, confused. There was no way out of there. Why was this guy running to a dead end? Something wasn't right. He picked up the pace, closing in on the well house just as they disappeared inside. The door slammed shut in his face, and he slid to a stop. He nearly ripped the door off it's tracks as he threw it open.

The boys rushed inside, catching themselves against the rail at the top of the stairs. Their sister thrashed, kicking and punching, and her captor didn't even notice. He perched on the edge of the well, turning to glance at them over his shoulder. Kagome looked up at them, but it wasn't fear that Sam saw in her eyes, it was annoyance. Mixed with anger, and guilt. He tilted his head, confused, and Dean shot past him, half falling down the stairs. With a scoff and a yelp from Kagome, the two of them dropped down into the well. There was a flash of light from inside, and an echoing ring.

"Sam! Let's go!" Dean shouted, and he jumped. Dean threw himself over the edge of the well, and Sam ran after him.

The flash of light made him cringe, shielding his eyes for a moment. Then he looked around himself, a weightless feeling causing a rush of giddyness in his gut.

"What the hell?" he heard Dean mutter, and glanced toward his voice. His brother was sideways, falling almost head first next to him. The sight of it disoriented him and he had to stop himself from trying to correct his own position.

Around them, a purple haze shimmered with what looked like stars, and a strange ringing echoed.

"I...don't think we're in Kansas anymore." he said jokingly, and gave his brother a worried look. Dean frowned at him, but said nothing.

Suddenly the haze started to fade, and the well bottom loomed up in front of them. Sam's eyes flew wide and he gasped.

"Brace yourself!" he yelped, throwing his arms out in front of him. He managed to catch himself before he ate dirt, but Dean wasn't so lucky. The older Winchester crashed down on his shoulders, his knees banging into his chin. He gave a loud grunt and cursed, slumping to the dirt. Sam started to sit up, when his boots thumped into his back, one after the other. He groaned, turning over onto his backside, and gazed up at the mouth of the well.

And frowned.

"Dean, the well is _inside_ right?" he mused, glancing at his brother. Dean gave him a loathsome look, rubbing his chin as he sat up.

"What kinda question is that? 'Course it is." he spat, and Sam looked up again. That was definitely sunlight pouring through. And he was sure he'd just seen a cloud roll by. Pulling on his socks, he donned his boots and stood, brushing himself off. Dean dragged himself to his feet next to him and stretched, groaning. Sam heard his back pop loudly, and winced in sympathy. The two of them turned their attention to the well, and Dean gave a sigh.

"So, how we gettin outta here?" he asked, and Sam glanced to his left.

"Vines." he said simply, pointing over at them. Dean stared at them for a moment, and his shoulders slumped.

"Great." he muttered, and Sam would have chuckled under different circumstances. Instead, he reached up for a good handhold and began his ascent, Dean right behind him.

* * *

It took barely five minutes to climb out, and he was sure they'd been right behind them. But as he pulled himself over the lip of the well, Sam realized there was no one there. He turned to help Dean out and wandered to the edge of the clearing while his brother took a moment to rest.

"We're definitely not...where we're supposed to be." he said quietly, gazing around in amazement. Dean pushed off from the well and came up next to him.

"Then where the hell _are_ we?" he asked, his voice slightly strained. Sam didn't miss the hand pressed against his chest. The landing must have been harder than it looked.

"Dunno. More importantly, where's Kagome?" he replied, and Dean nodded. They stood in silence for a moment, listening. And from far off he heard their sister's familiar voice. She was yelling again. Sam smirked, relieved. If she was well enough to be yelling that loud, it meant she was probably fine.

"Sounds like she went that way." he said, pointing the direction out to his brother. Dean nodded and started off, and Sam followed. As they walked, he studied the forest, but nothing stood out to him.

That is, until they passed an ancient tree, with a familiar scar halfway up the trunk. He paused, frowning, and nudged Dean. His brother glanced at him, and then at the tree.

"What?" he asked, annoyed. They didn't have time to be staring at random trees.

"It's the same tree. From the courtyard." Sam explained, his voice holding a hint of wonder. Dean's frown deepened and he stared at the tree for a moment. Then his brows shot up and he looked at Sam.

"Holy shit! That well... _Back to the future III'd_ us!" he said suddenly, and Sam's eyes widened. They looked at each other a moment, and then Dean laughed, and Sam cracked a grin.

"Our lives are so _weird_ , man." Sam said, and they started off again.


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't long before a village came into view. And there at the edge, Sam could just make out their sister, arguing animatedly with the red-clad figure. He gave Dean a nudge and tilted his head toward her. They had another fifteen minute walk ahead of them just to reach her, but he had a feeling they'd only get half that far before she saw them. He just hoped the red guy didn't take off with her again.

As they neared the village he could hear her clearer. She was bitching someone out in Japanese, and he caught a few choice phrases. But there was one word he didn't recognize, 'Inuyasha'. She said it over and over again. Eventually he figured it had to be someone's name. Probably the same someone she was currently tearing a new one.

Next to him Dean chuckled, and he threw him a glance.

"Man, our baby sister's got a sharp tongue." he commented, and Sam laughed too.

"Yeah. I'd hate to be _that_ guy." he mused.

They came around the side of a hut and paused. Surprisingly, Kagome hadn't seen them coming. And they'd managed to walk all the way up to her without her noticing. She stood a few feet from the Red-clad-someone, that may or may not have been named Inuyasha, and vented rage. The someone, who Sam now realised was a guy, seemed unamused. And was almost completely ignoring her. Until suddenly, she went quiet.

Sam leaned forward with a slight frown, he knew that look. She was about to cry. Apparently the guy recognised it too. But the look of apprehension on his face made him think that maybe he knew it for a different reason. He took a half step backward, raising his hands toward her in the universal 'Hang on a minute.' gesture. And she sucked in a deep breath.

"Inuyasha! OSUWARI!" she shrieked, and something flashed white around his neck. Then suddenly he was face down in the dirt, his head and shoulders actually embedded in it. Sam jumped, and Dean cringed.

"That hurt." he said dubiously, and Sam nodded agreement. He watched Kagome turn and start to storm off, and pushed away from the hut. Dean rushed after him, throwing one last glance at the poor guy in the dirt.

"Kagome!" Sam called, jogging to catch up with her. She stopped, staring ahead of her for a moment before she turned to face him. He hated to see that he'd been right, she had been about to cry. And now tears were rolling down her cheeks. She sniffled, but then she grinned.

"Nii-chan!" she cried, and leaped at him, her arms outstretched. He caught her and hugged her against his chest, and she sobbed into his shirt front. Dean caught up to them, panting harder than he should have been, and she reached over to him. He took her hand and gave her a smirk.

"You didn't think you could skip out on us that easy, didja?" he said jokingly, and she laughed weakly.

"I'm sorry." she murmured, and he shook his head.

"Don't worry about it."

Sam let her down and held her at arms length, looking her over.

"You okay?" he asked, and she nodded. There was a growl from behind them, and he turned to see Inuyasha standing a few feet away, shaking dirt from his hair.

"Ka Go Me." he snarled, and Sam saw fang. Whatever this guy was, he wasn't human. Dean turned, facing him down, and Sam tucked their sister behind him.

"Wait!" she yelped, and he felt her hand on his back.

"He's not dangerous. He's just stupid." she explained, and pushed her way past them both. As she passed him, Dean reached out and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. With a short growl, Inuyasha leaped in the air, coming down directly in front of the oldest Winchester.

"Omae..." he started to snarl, and Dean leaned forward, narrowing his eyes.

"Inuyasha, yamero! Atashi no kyodaidesu!" Kagome snapped, yanking hard on the back of his jacket. Sam put a hand on Dean's chest to push him back, and his brother winced, stumbling a few steps backward.

"Dean!" Kagome cried, rushing to catch him. Inuyasha watched with a scowl, but didn't step in. Sam caught his brother under the arm, and Kagome took his other side. Their sister looked up at him, frantic, and he sighed harshly.

"We had a rough landing." he explained, and Dean nodded miserably.

"Think I re-broke somethin'." he grumbled, earning an exsaperate look from Sam. Kagome looked ready to break into tears again, but she bit them back.

"C'mon. Kaede-ba may be able to help." she said quietly, pulling them toward the hut they'd hidden near. Inuyasha watched them a moment before he vanished, reappearing near the top of one of the closer trees. Sam marveled for a moment, at the sheer speed required to accomplish that. Not to mention the strength necessary to achieve that speed.

'Definitely not human.' he thought, before ducking into the hut.

* * *

"K...Kagome-chan?"

Sam paused just inside the doorway, staring ahead in surprise. An elderly woman got to her feet slowly, and crossed the room to meet them. Meanwhile, behind her, a younger girl and a man in a monk's robe sat next to a fire, their faces drawn up in surprise.

"Anno...Kaede-ba, Ani ga kega o shite." Kagome murmured, and the older woman nodded, peering at Dean for a moment. She gestured to the fire and lead them over to it, pausing long enough for Kagome and Sam to help Dean sit.

Dean pressed his hand to his chest and grimaced.

"Kagome-sama, Korera no dansei wa daredesu ka?" the monk asked, rising to his feet. Sam watched him cross the room to a barrel and draw a dipper full of water from it. Kagome slipped her shoes off and stepped up onto the wooden floor.

"Atashi no kyodaidesu. Sam to Dean." she explained, and turned back to Sam.

"These are my friends. That's Kaede, Sango, Miroku, and the cat over there is Kirara." she said, pointing each person out, and then drawing his attention to a small cat curled up in Sango's lap. As he glanced at it, it stretched, yawning, and a pair of tails twitched. He stared for a moment, his eyebrows high, and it mewled at him happily. Kagome glanced around, and then frowned.

"Shippou-chan, doko?" she asked, looking up at Miroku as he knelt next to her. He shrugged, offering her the water. She took it from him and leaned over, holding it out for Dean.

"Here, drink." she said quietly, smiling at him. He glanced up at her, sighed, and took the water. Sam sat next to him and leaned forward on his thighs, sighing.

"You okay?" he asked, and Dean grimaced at him, but he nodded.

"Yeah. I think I just cracked a rib or somethin. It hurts, but I'll live." he replied, and sipped some of the water. His eyes widened, and he stared down at it.

"Whoa! That's really good water!" he said, and held it out for Sam to try. Sam stared at him a moment, and then took it, taking a quick sip. It was cold, and sweet, and some of the cleanest tasting water he'd ever had. He frowned down at it.

"Wow." he mused, and Dean smirked.

"Right?" he said. Sam handed the dipper back to him, looking over at the old woman. She was cruching herbs in a stone mortar, humming quietly. As he watched, she drained the juices into a cup and poured fresh water into the mix. Then she stood, crossing the room to them.

"Koko ni. Kore o nomu." she said, holding it out to Dean. He scowled at the cup, then at the old woman, and Sam sighed quietly. Kagome took the cup from the old woman, smiling gratefully.

"You, drink this." she said, grabbing Dean's hand and pressing the cup into his grasp. He looked into the cup, and looked up at her.

"I dunno...it looks...gross." he said, pulling a face. Kagome rolled her eyes at him, and Sam nudged him.

"Dude, don't insult the lady." he muttered, leaning close to his brother. Dean gave him a loathsome look, and sighed. Then he pinched his nose and shot-gunned the entire cup. Sam bit his knuckle, trying not to laugh at the look on his brother's face. Dean coughed, leaning forward, and held the empty cup out for the old woman to take.

"Oh...that's terrible!" he groaned, coughing again. Kagome stood, crossing to the water barrel for more, and Sam patted his brother's back gently.

"Yeah, well. So is cough syrup. Let's hope this is just as good for you." he said, laughing under his breath. His brother slumped forward suddenly, and Sam couldn't help the moment of alarm he felt.

"Dean?" he called, shaking him roughly. The old woman laid her hand on his shoulder and shook her head at him.

"Kare wa ima nemutte iru." she said quietly, and Sam frowned at her, shaking his head, confused.

"It's okay, Sam. The herbs were to make him sleep. And to dull the pain. He's perfectly fine." Kagome said, kneeling next to him and pulling Dean upright. Sam glanced at him, and realized she was right, he snored lightly.

"Help me move him." she said, and he shot to his feet, gripping their brother under the shoulders. They dragged him to the side and laid him out on a bamboo mat near the wall, pulling his boots off. Sam kicked off his own boots and sat next to the fire with his sister. Kaede offered him a cup of tea, and he took it gratefully. Kagome talked with the others for a while, and Sam let the sound wash over him, staring into the fire.

He pondered how the well worked, and how long Kagome had been moving back and forth between the past and their present time. He had to wonder what kind of dangers she faced here as well. That Inuyasha was obviously not human, and Kirara wasn't a regular cat either. It stood to reason there were others like them, and not all of them were going to be friendly.

The idea of his kind, innocent, naive little sister going out on deadly, dangerous quests made his skin crawl. True, their lives weren't exactly safe, but that was different. They'd been raised that way. She was just a normal girl.

"Sam? Did you hear me?" she called, breaking him from his thoughts. He blinked, looking around at her, and she smiled.

"Hmm?" he prompted, raising his eyebrows at her.

"I said, Miroku knows where to find a couple of talismans that can translate languages. We can go get them for you and Dean. So you can communicate with everyone." she replied, and he frowned, glancing over at the monk. Miroku gave him a hesitant smile, and nodded at him.

"Sounds good. When do we leave?" he asked, and she bit her lip, looking away. He recognized the gesture.

"You're not going alone, Kagome." he said sternly, and she smirked at him.

"No. I'm going with them." she said, tilting her head at Sango and Miroku. Sam glanced at them, and scoffed. A monk, and a girl that was no older than his sister?

"I don't think so." he said, setting his cup down and crossing his arms over his chest, scowling at her. She stuck her chin out stubbornly, and started to protest.

"Kagome." he said warningly, and she paused, then she heaved a sigh and nodded.

"Fine. But Dean is staying. He's hurt, and there might be trouble." she relented, and Sam nodded, letting his arms drop. She glanced at him, and he smirked.

"You act like we can't handle ourselves." she complained. He chuckled, reaching over to tousle her hair playfully.

" _You_ act like _we_ can't." he shot back, and laughed again when she swiped at his hand. Sango and Miroku glanced at each other, confused, and Sam looked over.

"Watashitachi o taskete kurete arigato. Watashi wa koi o kaesu tame ni saizen o tsukushimasu." he said, and pressed a fist to his palm, bowing his head toward them. Kagome raised her eyebrows, impressed, and Sango blushed. Miroku smirked and gave Sam a bow in return, while Sango looked at the floor in front of her. Sam frowned, and leaned in close to Kagome.

"What's with Sango?" he murmured, and Kagome giggled.

"I'm not sure. I've never seen her act like that. Maybe she thinks you're cute." she replied, and Sam startled, glancing at her. She grinned back, and he rolled his eyes, nudging her hard enough to send her toppling over. She yelped in surprise, and scrambled back up, swinging her tiny fist into his arm. He laughed as it bounced off uselessly, and she pushed against him, trying to knock him over.

"Ugh! You're so heavy!" she complained, and he planted a hand on her forehead, holding her at arm's length.

"You're just too small, Kagome." he joked back, and she stuck her tongue out at him in a very unladylike gesture.


	6. Chapter 6

As Miroku and Sango spoke quietly about their destination, and which route was best to take, Sam wrote a note for his brother. Knowing the nearly famous Dean Winchester tolerance for anything short of Morphine, whatever medicine was in that cup would eventually wear off and the chances of them returning before that were slim. He tucked it into his brother's palm when he'd finished, and sat beside Kagome again. She was testing the string on a long bow, and he watched her for a moment, still struggling to wrap his head around the fact that she was just as much a hunter as them, in her own way. As she put down the bow and picked up an arrow, he nudged her gently. She turned to him, eyebrows raised.

"Yes?" she said quietly. Sam glanced at the door before he spoke, an old habit, and she did the same, visibly confused.

"That guy in the red." he began, and she nodded with a huff of annoyance.

"Inuyasha." she said, with only a hint of disdain. He smirked.

"Yeah. He's not human, is he?" he went on, and she chewed her lip for a moment before giving a slight shake of her head.

"Not fully. He's Hanyou. Do you know what Youkai means?" she replied. Sam had to think for a moment, he knew he'd heard the word before, but it had been a long time.

"Uh...they're...spirits, right? Kind of like ghosts?" he fished, and she shook her head again.

"No, that's Yurei. Yokai are...dono yo...monsters? Like monsters. Like...big animals. Kirara is Youkai." she said, and gestured to the cat, who mewled happily at the sound of her name. Sam frowned, nodding slowly. He thought he understood, maybe.

"So...what is Hanyou? What does that mean?" he asked, and she turned back to him.

"Half. Half Youkai, half human. Hanbun Youkai." she explained, emphasizing with her hands. Sam glanced at Kirara again, then at Kagome, his face incredulous. She seemed to understand what he was thinking, because she pursed her lips and frowned at him.

"They don't _all_ look like that." she retorted, and took up her bow and quiver, pushing to her feet. Sam scrambled up beside her, but she ignored him, staring at the doorway. He followed her gaze and paused. Inuyasha stood just inside, half turned as though he'd come in, but immediately started to leave again. His face was obscured by his hair, but the set of his shoulders was familiar to Sam. He was hurting, and hiding it.

Kagome let out a soft sigh and crossed to his side, speaking quietly to him. After a short pause, Inuyasha nodded, glanced over his shoulder at Sam, and left the hut.

"He's going to wait for us outside." Kagome explained to him, before calling to Sango and Miroku. The two gathered their things, and Sam snagged his boots. By the time he'd finished tying his laces, the three of them had cleared the room, and he was alone with the old woman and his unconscious brother. Kaede was humming quietly to herself, breaking up leaves in her stone mortar. She barely gave Sam a passing glance as he stood to join the others. But as he stopped one last time to cast a worried gaze on his brother, she raised a hand in his direction.

"Daijoubudayo." she said simply, and waved him away. He smirked, silently apologizing to his brother for leaving him to fend for himself against this feudal japanese version of Bobby Singer, and turned to leave.

* * *

As he stepped outside, he paused and let out a scoffing laugh.

"She's punishing me." he muttered to himself as he started forward again. The others stood a few yards off, and Kagome held the reins of a horse, smiling as she pet it's neck and chatted to Sango. Sam scuffed to a stop a few feet back and ran a hand through his hair.

"Um...Kagome?" he called, and she looked over. His eyes traveled over the animal and a feeling of apprehension washed over him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice a double edged sword of charm, and he felt the others looking at him.

"I...um...I've never...I don't know how to ride a horse." he stammered, glancing at her with a pleading look. She stared back at him for a moment before finally caving, and turning to Miroku. As she handed him the reins, she explained for her brother. The monk nodded, smiling, and waved at Sam to let him know that he understood.

"You can ride with Sango." Kagome said, giving her friend a slight push toward her brother before climbing onto Inuyasha's back. Sam frowned at her, then looked at the now beet red Sango. Ride? Ride what, she didn't have a horse. Just the tiny cat clutched to her chest. Sam hesitated, then reached up, gripping the back of his neck. It had to be a joke. More punishment for not taking her seriously.

"A...anno..." Sango mumbled, and held out her hand to him. He debated a moment, it wasn't fair dragging her friend into this when she obviously didn't know or understand, but he finally sighed and took her hand gently. He started to apologize, but was cut off as Sango tossed Kirara up into the air. The tiny ball of fur soared high above their heads, and his mouth dropped open as he stared up in confusion mixed with horror.

But as she began to descend, flames burst out from her body in a roar, and he flinched, jumping backward with a shout. What landed beside him was better described as a Sabre-toothed lion, than a cat. The tiny, cute kitten from only moments ago now stood the height of a Clydesdale, staring down her muzzle at him smugly. Flames encircled her ankles and feathered the fur of her tails, fluttering and crackling but emitting no heat.

Sam could do nothing but stare, mouth agape. So this was a Youkai. He'd seen a lot of scary things in his life, but nothing like this. And there were more. Kagome said they weren't all like Kirara. The idea both intrigued and terrified him. He reached out a hand, hesitant, and buried his fingers in her fur. She tilted her head and squinted her eyes, letting out a noise that wasn't quite a whine or a purr, but was something in between. Sango gave his hand a tug, and he startled, looking down at her.

"D...dewa. I...Ikimashou." she stammered, her cheeks still bright red, and climbed onto Kirara's back with the ease of long practice. She held out her hand for him again, and he took it, grateful for the help as he struggled to climb up. Kirara gave an annoyed growl when he took too long, and bounced him. He yelped, falling into place behind Sango, and made an instinctive grab for her shoulder. Her back stiffened, and he let go, apologizing. She shook her head, and let out a nervous laugh.

"I..Indayo." she said, and took him by the wrist, guiding his hand.

"Tsukamatte iru." she added, and his palm met fur. He worried a moment that he would be pulling patches from Kirara's back, but she pushed off from the ground and the thought left him. As did most of his breath.

His eyes flew wide as the ground rushed away from them, and he gasped, his free arm wrapping around Sango's waist tightly. She started to protest, but at the look on his face she bit it back. His jaw clenched tightly, and he was sure the color had drained from his cheeks. Coaxing Kirara toward the ground, Sango looked up at him and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Daijoubudesuka?" she asked quietly, and he gave a short nod.

"T..takai." he replied, and let out a nervous chuckle. She apologized with a quiet laugh of her own and they rejoined the others. Sam didn't miss the narrowed eyes Miroku directed at him, and let his arm fall away from Sango's waist, burying both hands in Kirara's fur instead.

"Kagome, how far is it?" he called, hoping for a distraction from the ground streaking past underneath them, and how much damage falling would do to the human body. A shiver ran up his back and he cringed.

"It should take a day to get there, and another to get back." she replied, and he smothered a groan. Maybe he should have stayed at the village after all.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean woke slowly, dragging himself from beneath the thick, and unfortunately familiar, blanket of a drug induced sleep. His mouth tasted strange, and his limbs were still heavy as he became aware of the fact that he was no longer dreaming. Without opening his eyes he reached up and dragged a hand down his face, wiping a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth and vaguely hoping no one had noticed. He paused for a moment, his hand covering his eyes, and thought back on his dream. It had been strangely real, and yet entirely impossible at the same time. The world inside the well, and some red wearing weirdo. He shook it off with a sigh and bolstered himself for what usually came next when he woke from a drug coma.

"Hey Sam. Did we land yet?" he asked quietly, dropping his hand away from his face and finally opening his eyes. And startling, jack-knifing upright. A small, orange furred creature scurried away from him with a sharp cry, disappearing behind the water barrel. Dean stared after it as his mind raced. It wasn't a dream. Any of it. His sore ribs, and the gloomy cabin, were proof enough of that. But then, where was Kagome, or Sam? What happened after that old woman drugged him? As he started to stand, the small orange thing leaped on him, chattering in Japanese. Dean jumped to his feet, stumbling sideways.

"What the-! Hey! Back off, Gizmo!" he shouted, shaking it off and holding his arm out defensively. It landed a few feet away and he finally got a good look at it. And was so much more confused. It was a small boy, at least, he was pretty sure it was a boy. Pointed ears and a bushy fox tail made him unsure. Dean clenched his eyes shut and shook his head, worried the drugs might still be in his system, causing him to hallucinate. But when he looked again, the creature was still there. It extended a tiny hand in his direction, pointing accusingly, and he heard it let out a puppy growl before it began chattering in Japanese again. Letting out a harsh sigh, Dean lowered his arms and ran a hand down his face. He was starting to really regret not taking Sam's advice about learning the language.

* * *

"Who are you?! Where's Kagome?! What did you do to her?! Tell me you monster! Why do you smell like her, huh?! Huh?!" Shippo shouted, readying one of his stone statues in case the stranger made any moves toward him. Instead, the man held his hands out in a pleading gesture and spoke in a strange language he'd never heard before. Shippo narrowed his eyes and growled at him again, but the man only sighed deeply and looked around the cabin.

* * *

Dean gave up on the fox-kid, turning away to look for his boots. With the language barrier in the way, there was no way of knowing what the kid was yelling about. As he scanned the floor, a square of paper near the bamboo mat he'd been laying on caught his eye. As he moved to pick it up, fox-boy snapped at him in japanese and threw a stone. It hit the back of his right hand and popped in a puff of smoke.

"What the-?!" he yelped, and a heavy weight settled over his hand, pinning him in place. As the smoke cleared, he gasped, sitting heavily. A stone statue, shaped vaguely like a monk and about the size of a child, sat on his hand. And it felt massively heavier than it should have been for how big it was. Dean stared at it for a moment, and then turned on fox-boy with a glare.

"Alright, you know what? I was just gonna let you go. But now, I'm gonna kick your ass. Get over here you little gremlin!" he spat, and lunged at the kid, reaching out with his free hand. The weight on his right hand refused to budge, and he was jerked back, losing his balance and toppling to floor. Fox-boy let out a scoffing laugh and pulled a face, sticking out his tongue at Dean. The oldest Winchester scowled back, pushing himself upright, and bracing a foot against the statue and leaning back to pull his hand free.

* * *

Shippo watched in amusement as the strange man attempted to pry the statue from his hand, pushing with his legs, trying to lift it from the floor, trying everything imaginable to dislodge his hand from beneath it.

"Idiot. My magic is too strong for a mere mortal like you." he boasted and skirted around him, taking up the piece of paper from the floor and unfolding it. As he looked it over, he frowned. The markings were strange, he'd never seen anything like them before. The man barked something at him, and Shippo glanced up to see him holding a hand out for the page. The two of them scowled at each other for a moment, before Shippo relented and gave it to him.

"It doesn't say anything anyway. It's just scribbles." he taunted, and crossed his arms over his chest, staring up at him smugly.

* * *

Dean shook his head, letting out a small scoff of annoyance as he took the note from fox-boy. This little punk was almost as pompous as Crowley. Looking over the note, he grit his teeth.

"Dammit, Sam." he muttered, crumpling the note and clenching the ball of paper in his fist. He couldn't be mad for his brother wanting to go with Kagome. He'd have done the same thing in his place. But he could be angry that neither of them waited for him to wake up first. He wasn't that hurt, it was just a little fracture. He'd done more with worse. Sighing harshly, he glanced at fox-boy, who watched him through narrowed eyes.

"So...you mind gettin' this off me?" he asked, pointing at the statue. The kid glanced at it, and back at him. Then he let out a scoffing laugh and walked away, heading for the door. Dean let his shoulders slump.

"Right." he said, and let his forehead drop to the stone.


	8. Chapter 8

A quick author's note: Thank you and I'm sorry for everyone who's been waiting for this. I hope you enjoy it, and that you'll be patient with me. Because the next chapter might not come for a while again. I've just had a lot happening that's distracted me from writing lately, and have had to piece this together bit by bit. I finally managed to finish it just this morning. Seeing so many comments asking for more definitely helped motivate me. And though I love seeing suggestions for story content, I hope you won't be too disappointed if I don't include your ideas. I did actually have a plan for this at one point, and I'm going to do my best to see it through. It just might take me a year or so more, lol.  
Anyway, here's chapter eight! (No Dean in this one, sorry!)

* * *

Near dusk, they reached a clearing deep in a forest. In the center sat a stone lantern, overgrown with moss, and leaning slightly to one side. Sam took in their surroundings with unease. It seemed too quiet. Too peaceful. As Kirara landed in the grass, that was too soft and too green to be normal, he slipped off her back and turned his gaze to the lantern. It was old, that he could tell, but aside from the green layer of moss that stretched up from the ground, it showed no sign of erosion or weathering. And though it leaned to one side just barely, the ground around it was solid and stable. His face pulled in a frown and he reached down, intending to take hold of his pistol. His hand met empty air and he startled, glancing down before he remembered. He didn't have it. They couldn't get them through customs, so the weapons had stayed home, in America. His hand closed in a tight fist and he cursed under his breath, looking up again. If things turned bad, he would have no way to defend himself. Beside him, Sango jumped down, landing in the grass with an almost silent step and pulling a metal mask up over her face. It covered her nose and mouth, and he wondered for a moment what she expected them to find here.

Throwing a quick glance around at the other three, it occurred to him that he was the only one that seemed unprepared for this. Miroku dismounted the horse and hefted his staff, the rings clashing against each other with a high chime. Inuyasha stood tensed, his hands already on his sword as he scented the air, ears perked forward. Even Kagome had her quiver slung across her back, her bow held in the same familiar way that he or Dean held their guns. The sight of her made his pulse quicken, as he realized just how long she must have kept this secret from them. Swallowing against the worry that was beginning to gnaw at him he followed Sango, and the six of them gathered together to form a plan.

"Miroku, are you sure this is the place?" Kagome asked, looking up at him as the monk neared her. Inuyasha sniffed the air again his ears twitching, and cut his eyes at Miroku accusingly.  
"I don't _smell_ anything. I thought you said this place was dangerous." he growled, and Miroku nodded slowly.  
"This is the place. Trust me. And be ready, a powerful demon is sealed here." he replied, voice low. Sango reached his side and peered at the stone lantern a moment, studying it. Then her eyes widened and she gasped softly.  
"Wait, this isn't... _that_ demon. Is it?" she demanded, looking up at him. He nodded grimly, and Kagome frowned in concern, glancing up at her brother as he finally reached them. He had no weapon, and she wasn't sure if she could defend him. What would he do if this demon attacked him? She was about to say something when Inuyasha interrupted her.  
"Tell him to stay back, Kagome." he said quietly, startling her. She glanced at him, eyes wide. He wasn't looking at her, his gaze was still locked on the stone lantern. But when she looked his way, he twitched an ear in her direction.  
"He'll only get in the way." he added, a familiar tone of mock annoyance in his voice. She nodded, smiling softly, and looked up at her brother. But as she opened her mouth to relay the message in english, he shook his head at her.  
"No." he said simply, and looked past her, at the statue, his eyes narrowed. His face had hardened. He looked nothing like the Sam that she'd known before, all smiles and compassion. Now his mouth was set in a grim line, eyes like stone. She shifted away from him half a step before she caught herself, and grit her teeth, scowling up at him.

Sam understood more than they gave him credit for. He wasn't going anywhere, not with the others gearing up for a fight. Not if it meant leaving Kagome to deal with it without him. He didn't have a weapon, sure, but he'd figure it out. Winchesters always did. It was kind of their specialty.  
"Sam. If you get too close, it _will_ kill you!" Kagome retorted, turning to face him, her hands balled tightly into fists at her sides. He looked down and she was scowling up at him, an expression of determination on her face. He almost laughed. Almost.  
"But it won't kill you?" he demanded, and she faltered, glancing away, "I'm not going anywhere, Kagome. Deal with it." he added, throwing a pointed look at dog-boy too. The hanyou scoffed, but said nothing, and Sam turned back to his sister. She was chewing her bottom lip, staring at the bow at her hand with a worried expression, and he sighed.  
"Look, if someone hands me a weapon, I can fight. Okay? Does anyone have a spare?" he said, settling a hand on her shoulder gently. She frowned slightly and glanced at Sango.  
"Maybe?" she said, and hurried over to her friend's side. They spoke quietly for a moment, and Sango looked over at him, frowned, and then nodded slowly. She reached down and quickly untied her sword from her belt, handing it over to Kagome, who brought it to him.  
"Here. Can you use this?" she asked, looking up at him with a worried expression. He sighed and took it from her, turning it over in his hands. He'd never fought with a sword before, but it shouldn't be much more different than a knife, right? Just some extra length on one end, not too big of a deal.  
"I'll be fine." he said quietly, tying it to his belt loop and giving her a tight smirk. She glanced at the sword dubiously, but turned away, catching up to Inuyahsa and murmuring to him quietly. The hanyou glanced over his shoulder at Sam, eyes sharp, and growled in annoyance, but said nothing. Sango and Miroku exchanged worried glances, but had no comments to add either, and Sam grit his teeth. He hated feeling like the odd one out, but there was no way he was going to abandon her and let her deal with this fight without him.  
He'd rather die. Again.

As Miroku approached the stone lantern cautiously, Sam let Kagome lead him away to what she felt was a safe distance and they knelt in the grass, waiting. Kirara followed them closely, hovering particularly near Sam, and he couldn't help but wonder if the cat was guarding him. Sango had been talking quietly to the cat just before lending her sword to him, she might have told her something. He glanced to the slayer as he thought, watching her as she retrieved something from the horse. His face pulled in a confused frown as she lifted an enormous, fabric wrapped object over her shoulder with surprising ease. He hadn't even noticed it before, he'd been so focused on not falling the entire trip.  
"Kagome, what is that?" he asked, nudging his sister and gesturing toward Sango. She glanced over and let out a quiet noise of recognition.  
"Hiraikotsu. Sango's weapon." she said simply, as if that were explanation enough. His frown deepened, and he watched as Sango unbound the fabric from her 'weapon'. She let it fall away to the ground, and his eyes flew wide. The massive boomerang was nearly longer than she was tall, and had to weigh hundreds of pounds. And yet she lifted it with almost no effort, hefting it over her head as she seemed to stretch, and swinging it a few times with the ease of long practice. He shook his head slowly, she was definitely in a league of her own.  
"Sam, it's starting." Kagome said suddenly, drawing his attention. She pointed to the stone lantern, where Miroku stood, and he saw a pale green light pouring from the ground beneath it. The lantern itself began to crumble, as if time had suddenly began to effect it again, and the years were catching up all at once. It fell into dust that was immediately snatched up by the unnatural gusts of wind now tearing around the clearing. Sam squinted as his hair whipped into his face, and threw an arm around Kagome, shielding her as best he could. Beside them, Kirara crouched, trying to do the same for him. He could barely make out what was happening, but it seemed like something was climbing out of the ground, dragging itself up over the lip of the earth with long, scythe-like claws. An inhuman screech rang through the air, and he flinched, hands flying to cover his ears.  
The wind died as suddenly as it began, and the two of them sat up, staring with wide eyes. Sam had seen a lot of horrible things in his life, but nothing like this. It's face was human, and beautiful. A woman with long white hair and piercing blue eyes, her skin as perfect and unmarred as a porcelain doll. But from there down it's body was grotesque. Like a praying mantis, with long spined legs and arms that ended in scythed claws the length of his legs. It turned, surveying the six of them with calm, cruel eyes, and let out a laugh that sent his blood cold.  
"This is all? You hope to defeat me with this alone?" it called, it's voice feminine but marred by a constant growl. Inuyasha drew his sword and shouted a challenge at it, but Sam was too far away to hear it, and the creature only laughed.  
"Bark, bark, little dog. We'll see how ferocious you are when your precious human girl is lying dead!" it called, it's voice quivering with sick amusement. Sam shot to his feet, taking Kagome by the arm and setting off in a sprint.  
And not a moment too soon, as the creature launched itself across the field in one lunge and crashed down claws first right where they'd been sitting. Kirara bounded up beside them and Sam lifted Kagome onto the cat's back, climbing up behind her clumsily. As Kirara ascended out of reach, the creature came screeching up behind them, swiping at them and missing by a hair.  
Kagome turned, an arrow already nocked in her bow, and took aim. As she loosed it, the arrow let off a purple glow and a high whistle. But it missed, planting in the ground at the creature's feet. Sam stared after it for a moment, confused, a jumble of questions in his head. But he shook them off as the others joined the fight, and Kirara headed for the ground again.

Sango let out a warning shout, loosing her giant boomerang across the field and sending it spinning toward the creature. Sam was sure that it would connect but as the weapon neared it, the mantis reared and swung one massive claw, knocking it from the air as if it were a toy. His blood ran cold at the sight, eyes widening as it finally sank in. These Youkai were like nothing he and his brother had ever seen before. The sheer strength and speed made the angel Castiel look like a kitten. The mantis paused, and turned to face him, it's mouth splitting in an impossibly wide grin. Sharp, silvery fangs gleamed in it's mouth, dripping a thick oily liquid. Most likely venom of some kind. It's blue eyes seemed to pierce him, pinning him in place, and it chuckled low in it's throat.  
"You see now? You understand? You puny, worthless human? What chance did you ever have against one such as me?" it's voice was a deep purr, enveloping him like an embrace, disorienting him. His breath left him in a rush and he swayed, slipping sideways toward the ground, his thoughts fuzzy. Kagome dove after him, landing on her knees beside him when he hit the ground. He rolled onto his back, staring up as the world seemed to spin slowly, and saw her face as she leaned over him, her mouth moving but no sound reaching him.  
"Run." he managed to breathe out, as a scythe-like claw loomed over them, moving almost in slow motion. He knew he should be afraid, but everything seemed so slow, and muted. The fear just wouldn't come.  
"K..Kagome...run." he tried again, but she either didn't hear or wouldn't listen, and the claw grew ever closer.

 _We're going to die._

The thought was like a quiet echo in his mind, surfacing out of the gloom suddenly.

 _We're going to die, and Dean doesn't know where we are._

A cold jab in his chest brought the sting of tears to his eyes, and he clutched at his shirt front.

 _He's gonna be so mad at me._

As if a switch were flipped in his head, his thoughts cleared and the haze that gripped him was gone. He reached up and threw his arms around his sister, tucking her against his chest and rolling to the side. The claw crashed down, missing them by a hair and sinking into the soft earth beside them. Sam stared at it, eyes wide and chest heaving. As it began to rise again the mantis let out a shriek of frustration, and Sam dragged himself and Kagome to their feet.  
"Run!" he yelped, and snatched her by the wrist, setting off in a flat sprint. She struggled to keep up with his long strides, and after a moment he lifted her off her feet, holding her aloft with just one arm while he held the sword at his hip still with the other. She leaned over his shoulder and knocked an arrow in the bow.  
"Are you okay?!" she called down to him, and he glanced at her, nodding.  
"What just happened? Do you know?" he shot back and she let her arrow fly before looking down at him, shaking her head with a grim expression.  
"I have no idea." she said quietly, looking away as Kirara caught up to them. Sam slowed to a stop and let Kagome down, turning back. The mantis was distracted, fending off Inuyasha's attacks, while Sango and Miroku harried it's legs. They didn't seem to be making much progress, unfortunately. It was almost as though it knew where they were going to be before they were there, always one step ahead of every attack. He frowned, watching it closely, and suddenly gasped. Just as the idea struck him, it turned toward him, blue eyes narrowed as it's face pulled in a snarl.

It knew.

"It's psychic..." he murmured, and the mantis let out a shriek, pushing off the ground in a leap that ate the distance between them. Sam spun, setting off in a dead run away from Kagome, leaving her behind with Kirara and praying to anyone listening that she didn't follow. Just as he expected, the mantis turned, tracking him across the field. He glanced toward the others, thinking that he might be able to make it to them before it caught up, and the mantis leaped again, landing between them. Skidding to a halt in the grass, Sam drew Sango's katana and held it in front of him, staring up at the yokai. His eyes flickered toward his sister and he let out a huff of relief, seeing her draw her bow, arrow trained on the creatures blind spot. It's eyes flew wide and it spun, claws high.  
At that moment, he struck forward, crossing the few yards between them in long bounds and bringing the sword up over his head. The blade caught the creature in it's soft underbelly and he dragged it along with him, cleaving into it's gut and spilling sickly green blood onto himself and the ground behind him. As he ducked out from under it again the mantis fell to the side, thrashing in agony and letting out a strangled cry. Sam stumbled away, panting harshly, his hands white-knuckle tight around the sword, and started to grin, triumphant. But the feeling left him in a rush of cold as the creature began to rise from the ground, it's scythe-like arms reaching, slicing through the air, straight toward Kagome.  
He gasped in a breath to yell, taking a step toward her, arm outstretched. And a high whistle ripped through the air beside him. An arrow, Kagome's arrow, sank into the pale flesh of the creature's forehead, and it slumped to the ground as the pale purple light from before enveloped it's head. In moments, it was reduced to bones, the flesh melting like hot wax, pooling on the ground in blackened puddles. Sam backed away, his nose wrinkled in disgust, and bumped into a soft, warm body. Glancing back, he sighed in relief, and Kagome leaped down from Kirara's back, throwing her arms around his neck.  
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" she sobbed, her tiny fists thumping against his back softly. He let out a short chuckle, holding her for a moment in a one armed embrace, before letting her slip down to the ground. Inuyasha stood beside them already, arms crossed over his chest as he gazed down at the carcass with an expression of annoyance. He spared Kagome a short, cursory glance, but pretended to pay Sam no notice at all. The hunter wasn't fooled though, that one short glance had told him everything he needed to know. Neither of them were bleeding, or broken, so everything was fine.  
Sango and Miroku finally caught up, slowing to a stop a few feet clear of the black ooze that had once been flesh, and Miroku reached into his sleeve pouch. He produced a slip of paper with a sutra inked on it, and held it between his fingers, reciting a blessing before placing it on the creatures skull. Sango murmured to him quietly, and he nodded, replying in that same hushed tone. Then he waved Kagome over to him. As she moved, so did Sam, shadowing her closely, eyes still trained on the corpse. Just in case it wasn't truly dead. She glanced up at him quizzically, but said nothing. Miroku said something when the two of them reached his side, but it was too quick for Sam to catch it all. Something about the creature's throat. Kagome recoiled in disgust and looked down at the carcass, her face greenish. She replied in a quiet whine, and this time Sam understood perfectly.  
"Do I _have_ to?"  
Miroku nodded, and gave her an apologetic expression, while Sango sighed quietly. Glancing at the corpse, Sam frowned slightly and looked over at his sister.  
"I can do it." he offered, but she shook her head quickly, shoving her bow into his free hand.  
" _No!_ " she yelped, and his eyebrows rose. She cleared her throat, and glanced away.  
"No, it has to be me." she said a little quieter, and took a bolstering breath. Then she leaned forward and plunged her hand into the sludge near the creatures spine, below the jaw. A shimmer spread out from her hand, travelling through the black pool in an instant, and the substance began to clear, until it looked like water, shimmering up at him, the light reflecting off the crystalline surface in prismatic flashes. Sam stared in awe as she withdrew her hand, and with it a pair of leather cords, each bearing a tiny silver dragon. She stood and held them in her palm for a moment, studying the charms with wide eyes.  
"Kirei..." she murmured, and turned to him with a grin.  
"Sam, look!" she gushed, holding it out to him, her eyes shining in excitement. He let out a short laugh, and reached out to cup the charms in his hand gently. The dragons where short, stout beads, carved or cast so intricately that he could have counted the scales down their backs. Each eye was set with a tiny sapphire, and each fang tipped in just the tiniest fleck of gold. They were heavy, which meant they were solid silver, not plated or bonded, and the leather cords were soft and supple, but firm. He took one and gave it a sharp tug, but the cord held strong.  
"Put it on, see if it works!" Kagome suggested, and he hesitated for a half second before nodding and slipping it over his hand. After all, it's what they came here for, he couldn't exactly back out now. As the charm settled in place on his wrist, the cord seemed to tighten, shrinking to fit just tight enough that he couldn't pull it back off when he tried. He held the tiny dragon between his fingers a moment and let out a sharp sigh.  
"Here goes nothing" he muttered, and looked around at the others. All but Inuyasha were gazing back at him, waiting eagerly.  
"Well?" Kagome asked, and he glanced down at her with a shrug.  
"How are we supposed to know if it works?" he replied, and Miroku's face broke into a grin.  
"I'd say it does." he said, laughing as Sam startled. He knew it was Japanese, but he'd heard it as english. Like someone had shoved a babelfish in his ear or something. He shook his head, blinking hard for a moment, and let out an awkward chuckle.  
"Oh, that's gonna take some getting used to." he said, smiling down at his sister. She grinned and threw her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.  
"I can't wait to get this one back to Dean!" she gushed, releasing him and holding the second charm out for him. Sam tucked it into his pocket and finally sheathed Sango's katana, untying it from his belt loop. He stepped closer and held it out for her, giving her a grateful smile.  
"Thank you for this." he said quietly, and her cheeks turned pinkish as she accepted it.  
"It...it was no problem. I'm glad it could be of use to you." she stammered, her grip tight on the sheath as she held it beside her. Miroku glanced at her, his face turning slightly somber, and Sam cleared his throat quietly. Taking hold of his shirt, he looked down at himself and sighed heavily.  
"That's gonna stain." he complained, and Kagome laughed softly. Cutting his eyes at her, he raised an eyebrow.  
"You think that's funny? This is my only shirt." he retorted, and stepped closer to her, hands held out in a silent threat to grab. She backed away, laughing a little louder, and shaking her head.  
"Brother, don't!" she yelped, and he lunged, grabbing her around the waist and turning, spinning her with a triumphant cry and smearing his green slime covered face across the back of her shirt. She let out a tiny scream and giggled uncontrollably.  
"No! Quit it, you're gonna ruin my shirt! Sam!" she yelped, and he let her down, steadying her with one arm as she stumbled. He was just beginning to laugh along with her when Inuyasha shouldered past him roughly and set him off-balance.  
"We should get moving." he growled, glaring at the two of them over his shoulder for a moment, "It'll be dark soon." Sam gazed after him, confused. How could he be so angry after what they'd just survived. They _won_. Wasn't that good enough for him?  
"What's his problem?" he muttered quietly, and Kagome sighed next to him, gazing at Inuyasha with a solemn expression.  
"Don't worry about it, it's not personal." she replied, and gave him a smile, but it was short-lived and didn't reach her eyes. She tugged his sleeve and they followed after the others, Kirara trailing closely after them.

As they walked, Sam watched Inuyasha, studying him. He thought back to his conversation with Kagome in Kaede's hut. Hanyou, the way she said the word made it sound like a bad thing. A stigma, or a taboo. And now that he had a better understanding of Yokai, he could see why it would be. They were true monsters, horrible and terrifying. And destructive.  
But Kirara wasn't. She was affectionate, and seemed to genuinely care about her human companions. So, they couldn't all be bad. It was possible that some could even experience love for others, as she did. And yet, it seemed that being hanyou was considered...wrong.  
Sam frowned and turned to his sister.  
"Kagome, why is hanyou a bad thing?" he asked quietly, and she startled, looking up at him with wide eyes.  
"It's n-" she started to reply, and Inuyasha cut her off in a harsh voice.  
"What do you _care?_ " he snapped, half turning and glaring at Sam, his white ears pinned to his head. Sam gazed back, unfazed by the sudden outburst. After years of dealing with someone as temperamental as his brother, he was used to it.  
"I just do." he said back, and Inuyasha scoffed, incredulous.  
"Listen _kid_ , this isn't your world. You don't belong here, so just shut up and keep your head down until we send you back where you came from." the hanyou snarled back, turning away and starting to walk again. Sam pulled back in disbelief.  
" _Kid?_ " he retorted, and let out a huff, a dry laugh, "I'm _not_ a kid. I'm a _hunter_ , it's my job to know things. And I want to know about _you_." He closed the distance between them in three long strides and stepped in front of Inuyasha, leaning over him and using his height advantage to intimidate.  
"And I'm not _going_ back where I came from until I _find out_ what I wanna know. Because I will be _damned_ if I let some _guy_ drag my sister around, fighting _monsters_ unless _I_ know he can be trusted." Sam's voice was low, and deadly as he glared into the golden eyes of the boy in front of him, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.  
"She's the only other family I've got, and I'm _not_ gonna lose her. _Understand? Dog_ -boy?" Inuyasha stared at him, his upper lip curling in a snarl as a low growl rumbled in his throat, but Sam refused to back down. This was ending here and now, before Dean got involved and there was bloodshed. This guy needed to learn how the Winchesters operated. Do no harm, but take no shit. And Sam wasn't about to start now.  
The silence lasted for only a few minutes before Kagome stepped between them, planting her hands on Sam's chest and shoving as hard as she could. He allowed her to push him back, but only a foot or two, his gaze never faltering.  
"That's enough! _Both_ of you!" she snapped, a sharp edge of anger in her voice. Finally, Inuyasha gave in, looking away with a huff. Kagome planted her fist in the middle of Sam's chest, drawing his attention, and he looked down at her.  
"We'll talk about it later." she said, giving him a pointed look and tilting her head toward Sango and Miroku, who had been watching the entire showdown with apprehension, hands on their weapons but hesitant to actually use them. He relented with a sigh, and stepped aside, letting Inuyasha pass him and take the lead again. The others moved to follow, and Sam took up the rear, purposefully putting space between himself and the hanyou.

They both needed it.


End file.
